Often when new generations of communication technologies are introduced the availability of user equipment such as handsets supporting these technologies is an obstacle for the usage of the new services already deployed in infrastructure of the communication network
For example, the uptake of fourth generation (4G) handsets such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) is expected to be slower than the availability of services requiring a stable and high speed access. In the first few years of 4G network availability only a minority of the population will have handsets with technology that supports high-speed data access. A large supply of earlier generation, such as third generation (3G), handsets is expected to still be available to the market in the years to come. This is especially true for users in cost concerned markets not having the ability to purchase 4G handsets at the same pace as the communication networks are expanded.
Stability, performance, scalability and reliability issues exist in many of the current second generation (2G) and 3G networks. Streaming services such as Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), or reliable user experiences for other services are in need of the stability, but also the higher data speed offered by newer generation technology such as 4G. In many cases mobile network operators have opted to stop expanding and stabilizing their existing 3G bearer networks going directly towards 4G enabled networks.
In many cases any person with a smart phone can share their mobile internet access through an (ad-hoc) Wireless Area Network (WLAN), also referred to as Wi-Fi hotspot (sometimes called tethering).
Existing authentication techniques for connecting towards an ad-hoc Wi-Fi hotspot require some sort of handset authentication before a cost can be associated to the handset, as this is hidden behind a Wi-Fi Network Access Translation (NAT). This can be made in several ways such as prior registration, on the fly registration with username/password, credit-card registration, and previous certificate registration. More modern ways such as SIM Authentication for Wi-Fi is not readily available on all current mobile smartphones (although the standard is expanding).
A problem is that when network sharing is done the cost and quota consumption for data traffic will still be on the user sharing the Wi-Fi (the broker/enabler), rather than the user consuming the data traffic who is hidden behind the NAT.
Also, with respect to the consumer, mobile operators are left out of control for Wi-Fi tethering traffic. The mobile operators are not in control of the revenue stream from the consuming user when Wi-Fi is used and it is therefore not possible to dynamically alter the pricing or to give for example a return bonus to the user sharing its Wi-Fi.